Free Republic

Freedom is amazing because, unless you are God, it is impossible to know exactly what it is and where it will take you. (See the micro-movie in the link for how this has happened to me today: from street art to Whitman to Virgil to God knows what next.) Is this the most important American presidential election for freedom since 1964? Nobody knew then that the presidential careers of two two-term presidents (Nixon - debatable as a two-termer? - and Reagan) would have a re-beginning in Nixon's case and a beginning in Reagan's case. As I see it, this happened...

I believe Douglas MacArthur got it right when he described the nature of freedom in the place of his birth The Wild West of America: “……. nowhere else has there been the savage turbulence, the striking vitality and the raucous glamour of the struggle for law and order in the American West.” Only a few decades later the nation swung the opposite way with the bold experiment of Prohibition. Why did that policy fail? What was good about it? For all my life abstaining from alcohol has been my personal choice. But now, at the age of 63, an old...

In Australia a "digger" is a word used for soldiers with very strong egalitarian connotations. That is part of the tradition of mateship which has taken a battering in PC times. In the harsh conditions of war everything was often, but not always, shared much more readily than in the less brotherly "real world". My little mate Trooper Al Godfrey flew the Australian flag outside his home for his three mates Ben Lappin, Doug Tatti and Jack Dillion for 70 years after the war because of his promise to them in Borneo in World War Two. Lest We Forget.

America, if you want to know what a nanny state turning itself into a police state looks like, watch Victoria in Australia. On a day when 672 new Corona-virus cases and 7 deaths were reported in the state of Victoria, population 6.39 million, a state of disaster was declared. This suspends the known rules to enforce new restrictions like this: There is an 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew. Only one person per day can leave a household to buy food. All single parents must leave all their children unattended to buy food. One hour per day of exercise for...

The New Testament humanized and personalized religion. This is the foundation of modern freedoms and democracy. Eastman Johnson’s sensitive realism was proving that black lives matter before the Civil War. Will juvenile leftist stupidity destroy this precious heritage or will we treasure it and survive?

Far too many men are facing far too much injustice in Western Societies. Rabid man hating feminism is out of control. How can nations which embrace a culture of emasculation face up to the likes of totalitarian China?

Masks are good for concealing a human being. If you live in a drain then masks are what you need. They do give protection and they also hide fear. They are now mandatory in the state of Victoria in Australia. The state premier Daniel Andrews, also known as Dictator Dan, now has 1,000 defence force personnel to help police the people of Victoria. He banned golf and fishing very early in the pandemic but let 10,00 people crowd the streets for a BLM protest. If the police arrest you for sitting in a park its a $1,600 fine. Freedom -...

Until last week, Gary Garrels was senior curator of painting and sculpture at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). He resigned his position after museum employees circulated a petition that accused him of racism and demanded his immediate ouster. "Gary's removal from SFMOMA is non-negotiable," read the petition. "Considering his lengthy tenure at this institution, we ask just how long have his toxic white supremacist beliefs regarding race and equity directed his position curating the content of the museum?"

Weird things are happening — moderate Lefties are being attacked by the Anarchists and Occasional Cortex's. Now, the moderates are suddenly recognizing the value of FREE SPEECH! A short letter was sent to Harper's Magazine and signed by scores of prominent Liberal/Leftist writers/journalists/pundits such as J. K. Rowling and Noam Chomsky. I summarize the key points of the letter below. YouTube Commentator, Dr. Steve Turley, tells the story and analyzes the political fallout of Leftists battling each other on this issue. FR's V K Lee turned me on to Dr. Steve a few days ago and I've been enjoying his...

The Critical Drinker is a movie review channel which is usually funny and not so serious. But he does make a timely video with this one about the current censorship. Why The Past Matters

If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies, Or being hated, don’t give way to hating, And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise: If you can dream—and not make dreams your master; If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those...

ROUND 7 OF THE '50S TOURNAMENT OF CHART-TOPPERS COMMENCES! The FINAL! Votes due: Sunday, June 7 @ 6:00 pm Eastern. (My birthday, FYI; don't disappoint me!) 4 songs, 2 pairs, 2 winners! Vote for your favorite in each pair listed. No reply, no vote. (NO abstentions this time! Must vote both contests - you can handle 2, cantcha?) Any ties will be broken with a run-off which will end the following Monday. Format: Billboard rank/seed - year - song title - act

ROUND 6 OF THE '50S TOURNAMENT OF CHART-TOPPERS COMMENCES! The FINAL 4! Votes due: Sunday, June 7 @ 6:00 pm Eastern. (My birthday, FYI; don't disappoint me!) 4 songs, 2 pairs, 2 winners! Vote for your favorite in each pair listed. No reply, no vote. (NO abstentions this time! Must vote both contests - you can handle 2, cantcha?) Any ties will be broken with a run-off which will end the following Monday. Format: Billboard rank/seed - year - song title - act

ROUND 5 OF THE '50S TOURNAMENT OF CHART-TOPPERS COMMENCES! The GREAT 8! Votes due: Sunday, May 31 @ 6:00 pm Eastern. 8 songs, 4 pairs, 4 winners! Vote for your favorite in each pair listed. No reply, no vote. (You may abstain from some pairs but please don't overdo it! No onesies, please, or anything less than half!) Any ties will be broken with a run-off which will end the following Monday. Format: Billboard rank/seed - year - song title - act

ROUND 4 OF THE '50S TOURNAMENT OF CHART-TOPPERS COMMENCES! Votes due: Sunday, May 24 @ 6:00 pm Eastern. 16 songs, 8 pairs, 8 winners! Vote for your favorite in each pair listed. No reply, no vote. (You may abstain from some pairs but please don't overdo it! No onesies, please, or anything less than half!) Any ties will be broken with a run-off which will end the following Monday. Format: Billboard rank/seed - year - song title - act

The Social Contract is Broken What is best in us can restore justice.

ROUND 3 OF THE '50S TOURNAMENT OF CHART-TOPPERS COMMENCES! Votes due: Sunday, May 17 @ 6:00 pm Eastern. 32 songs, 16 pairs, 16 winners! Vote for your favorite in each pair listed. No reply, no vote. (You may abstain from any pairs but please don't overdo it! No onesies, please.) Any ties will be broken with a run-off which will end the following Monday. Format: Billboard rank/seed - year - song title - act

This topic is inspired by the many what book / what music topics over the years, also by mairdie's cool vids of classical or jazz soundtracks over art montages.

The first time I met Laura Deckelman was on a ferry, which, if you know anything about Laura Deckelman, is fitting. Back in 2014, I had only been working at The Wave for a few weeks, and I was invited to take a ride on the then-Rockaway ferry by Seastreak President Jim Barker. It was a “simple meet and greet” to inform the public of some of the details of what expanded service could entail. We got stuck on a sand bar, got inconvenienced for an hour or so, the FDNY “rescued us,” and I met Laura. She told me...

A Vote For Trump Is A Vote Against Fake News